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Eagles Shut Down Bulls' Late Rallies to Win, 4-2

Mike Folli

YPSILANTI, MI – Despite putting five runners on base in the final two innings, the University at Buffalo baseball team couldn’t dent the scoreboard as Kevin Wammes pitched out of two jams to lift Eastern Michigan to a a series-sweeping 4-2 win in Mid-American Conference play at Oestrike Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Buffalo (5-20 overall, 0-6 MAC) loaded the bases in the eighth inning, as senior James Kingsley (Medina, NY/Medina) led off with a single and two walks loaded the bases with two outs, but Wammes, the fourth hurler of the frame, got a flyout to end the inning.

After the Bulls set the Eagles (12-11 overall, 5-1 MAC) down in order in the eighth inning, Folli doubled to lead off the ninth inning, sending the tying run back to the plate for each at bat in the frame. After a strikeout, Aquila singled to right center to move Folli to third and bring the winning run to the plate. However, Wammes settled down to strike out the last two batters and end the threat.

Buffalo drew first blood for the second day in a row, as it scored a single run in the top of the first inning. Sophomore second baseman Mike Folli (Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott) led off with a walk and after a strikeout, senior right fielder Carl Aquila (Alden, NY/Alden/Erie CC) singled to center sending Folli to third. An infield error on a ball hit by junior catcher Dan Quinn (Hamburg, NY/Frontier) brought Folli in.

The Eagles fought back, though, scoring two unearned runs in the bottom of the second inning, as two walk, a steal, a wild pitch and an error scored two runs capped by an RBI double from Derek Lehrman scored another run. Two more crossed in the fourth thanks again to an error, a single and another Derek Lehrman double, giving the Eagles a 4-1 lead.

Frank Jagoda

In the seventh, the Bulls’ bats started to rally, as freshman Frank Jagoda (Dunkirk, NY/Dunkirk) got his first NCAA hit as he doubled to left center. After a flyout, Folli delivered an RBI single to center to close the lead to 4-2.

Folli finished 2-for-4 with a double, a run and an RBI for the Bulls, giving him 93 career hits. The Wallace Watch candidate could become the fastest player to reach 100 career hits since the program was reinstated in 2000 as Eric Huber hit the plateau in 76 games during the 2001-02 seasons. Folli has appeared in 71 career games.

Kingsley and Aquila each finished 2-for-5 as Kingsley moved within 32 hits of becoming only the second player in school history to reach 200 hits with 31 games remaining in the season.

Sean McWilliams

Senior Sean McWilliams (Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua) (2-3) offered up his second straight strong start, as he threw six innings, allowing seven hits and two walks, resulting in only two earned runs. He struck out five to give him 105 in his career. McWilliams is just four appearances away from setting the school record for games pitched in a career.

Freshman Steve Geltz (Ransomville, NY/Wilson) threw two scoreless frames to cap off the game, striking out two for the Bulls.

Will Stewardson (2-0) offered a gritty start for the Eagles, going 6 1/3 innings, allowing four hits, three walks and two runs. He also struck out five. Wammes earned the save after going 1 1/3 innings, striking out three and working out of a bases-loaded eighth inning jam and a first-and-third, one-out jam in the ninth.

Lehrman led the Eagles with two doubles and three RBIs.

The Bulls are next in action Tuesday when they travel to Big Four rival Niagara for a non-conference tilt at Sal Maglie Stadium starting at 4:00 pm.